Boot inserts having an inverted U-shaped configuration such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,643 to Struble (the entire content of which is expressly incorporated hereinto by reference) have been used widely as supports to minimize the collapse of boot uppers. However, the lower ends of the side panels associated with conventional inverted U-shaped boot inserts have a tendency to be deflected inwardly toward one another thereby allowing the boot in which such inserts are used to form an undesirable crease generally at the ankle region of the boot. Therefore, improvements to conventional inverted U-shaped boot inserts are needed.
According to the present invention, such improvements are provided by a cross-support member extending between the opposed side panels of the inverted U-shaped boot insert to prevent the side panels from collapsing toward one another. The cross-support member may be a separate structural element which is associated with the inverted U-shaped boot insert, or may be formed as an integral part of the inverted U-shaped boot insert (e.g., by partially cutting out the cross-support member from at least one of the side panels and/or by affixing the cross-support member to an interior surface of at least one of the side panels).
The cross-support member most preferably includes supplemental stiffeners. According to one embodiment of the present invention, these supplemental stiffeners are in the form of lateral stiffening panels of desired geometry (e.g., panels having generally triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal or like geometries). Preferably, these lateral stiffening panels are formed as an integral (most preferably unitary) part of the cross-support member by folding a lateral section of the cross-support member out of the cross-support member's plane. The lateral stiffening panels are most preferably included with bevelled edges at each end so that a clearance space is provided with the adjacent side panel of the inverted U-shaped boot insert. This defined clearance space thereby prevents the adjacent side panel of the inverted U-shaped boot insert from interfering with the lateral stiffening panel being folded out of the plane of the cross-support member (e.g., is folded angularly relative to the plane of the cross-support member).
The supplemental stiffeners could alternatively, or additionally, be in the form of a strip of relatively stiff material (e.g., cardboard, plastics, wood or the like) which is affixed to a surface of the cross-support member (e.g., via adhesive). Thus, when used in the absence of the lateral stiffening pixels, these stiffening strips nonetheless provide increased structural integrity to the cross-support member to prevent collapse of the side panels associated with the inverted U-shaped boot insert. On the other hand, when the stiffening strips are used in conjunction with the lateral stiffening panels, then the crosswise structural integrity of the cross-support member can be maximized.
Further aspects and advantages of this invention will become more clear after careful consideration is given to the detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiments thereof which follows.